Most people think the perfect time to clean their custom and built-in wardrobe is at the start of the year. However, with the beginning of autumn, it’s a chance to prepare for the incoming season.

So, is autumn clean the new spring clean? We believe it is. With the sudden change in weather, it is the perfect time to consider a cleaning blitz for your built-in wardrobe.

Here are helpful tips for organising a built-in wardrobe in autumn – away with summer, in with winter.

9-Step Process To Clean And Organise Your Built-In Wardrobe In Autumn

Cleaning and organising your wardrobes can be a time-consuming exercise. First, you must remove all the clothes, clean the space, and reorganise everything to ensure it fits.

1. Sort out all the clothes

Although it may seem like a good idea to unpack your autumn clothes and store away the summer pieces, sorting everything out is essential.
First, remove all the clothes, shoes, and bags to prepare every corner for cleaning. Separate every item into available piles. For instance, have an autumn/winter clothing pile and a separate summer clothes bundle to go into storage boxes.
Sort out any clothes the kids have outgrown and old pieces you have not worn in years, and separate them into donate or discard piles.

2. Pack away summer clothing

Summer is over, and it is time to pack it away all the swimsuits and light clothes. Throw out any pieces that may have chlorine or sun damage. Next, choose the items you want to keep till next year and add the rest to the donate box.

Take a new storage box or bag, mark it clearly and put in all the clothes. If you have space at the top of your wardrobe, that’s the ideal location to store them. Alternatively, move them to an extra bedroom or spacious hall closet.

3. Donate

We all have clothing that has sentimental value. It may be your baby’s dress first dress or a suit your husband wore to his brother’s wedding years ago. Besides creating extra space in your sliding wardrobes, you will be helping out another by donating them.

If you have new items from a past impulse purchase, consider selling them online or having a weekend yard sale. Besides making extra money, you will teach your children the importance of decluttering, especially donating.

4. Discard unwanted items

Go through the throw-out pile and pack everything into trash bags. Alternatively, you can re-purpose old towels into cleaning rags. Old t-shirts also make excellent all-purpose cleaning material for the kitchen.

5. Take an inventory of autumn clothing

Unpack all the autumn clothes and sort them by checking if they still fit. Those that have irreparable damage can go into the throw-out box. Any warm suits or sweaters that no longer serve you or the children can also go into the donate pile.

Keep only the clothes you love and are sure you will wear all season. After all, anything you haven’t worn in over a year is not necessary. The primary purpose of an end-of-season deep clean is to make room in your wardrobe for more ready-to-wear clothing and shoes.

6. Remove dust and mould

Now that your built-in wardrobe is finally empty, it is time to do a deep clean. During summer, it is common to find moisture in closets, leading to mould build-up. Check if any of your clothes have signs of mould and put them in the washer. 

 Use a cloth or duster to wipe any dust from all the corners and shelves. If you have a custom walk-in wardrobe, sweep and mop the floor. Consider using a vinegar mixture or disinfectant to remove unwanted stains and any mildew odour.

7. Clean out the extra wardrobes

Besides cleaning the storage area in your bedroom, you can tackle the hallway closet with summer hats, flip-flops, and kids’ toys. Use the space to store winter coats, hats, and umbrellas instead. 

Use extra storage tips such as over-the-door bags for outdoor shoes or portable drawers for small accessories such as mittens and gloves. Additionally, ask the kids to help organise their wardrobes in preparation for winter.

8. Organise shoes

In most households, the entryway storage unit contains the highest number of shoes. To clean out this space, ask everyone to store a certain number of shoes there.

Additionally, sort out what needs to be given to charity and what to discard and add to the previous clothes pile.

The rest can go into the bedroom closet, with separate storage for seasonal shoes and everyday wear. However, before storage, clean them to prevent re-introducing dust and dirt into a neat wardrobe.

9. Re-organise the wardrobe

Once you finish cleaning and organising all autumn clothes, hang and fold them into your built-in wardrobe. Place the clothes you regularly wear, such as blouses and pants, at the front and heavier items at the back. 

Heavy woollen coats and sweaters may stretch out if you hang them, so consider folding them into the shelves instead.

Your final storage should be visually attractive and easily accessible. Lastly, use transparent containers to pack away kids’ extra clothes, shoes, and toys at the bottom of their wardrobes.

Conclusion

Every built-in wardrobe requires an occasional deep clean. We keep buying more clothes and only notice a need for more space when they begin spilling out of the area. An autumn clean is perfect for making the most of the available space in your custom wardrobes. If you follow the above process, you will spend less time cleaning, and the final results will be worth it.

Contact Betta Wardrobes today for high-quality and durable built-in wardrobes in Sydney. Whether you want sliding, hinged, or mirror wardrobes, our team of experts will help you choose the perfect fit for your home.